Bishop of Liverpool depicts UK-EU Brexit negotiations as ‘Dad’s Army’
The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev'd Paul Bayes, has been honing his episcopal vocation to be a "focus of unity", to which end he tweeted that the presently fraught…
EU
Covid: God’s judgement upon Brexit?
"We have sown the Brexit wind, and now reap the Covid whirlwind", tweeted John Milbank ("Theologian, philosopher, poet, political theorist"). "Past generations would have seen divine judgement manifest here", he expounded, before alluding to the higher discernment of present generations:…
Sharia certainties and woke certitude cry out for reformation
This is a guest post by Mike Stallard, who has been in education all his life, and is now retired. Reza Aslan is an Iranian who lives in USA.…
UK Internal Market Bill: the Archbishops are confused, poorly advised, and wrong
The Archbishops of the United Kingdom have written a joint letter fairly and equally to all tabloids and broadsheets decrying the moral state of the nation and calling for repentance…
Brexit Day – at last, a wide and liberal global future
When the majority of UK voters determined to leave the European Union on 23rd June 2016, it was met with much relief and rejoicing by many millions of people: The…
A Christian case for Brexit
If one anti-Brexit argument persists within the clergy hierarchy of the Church of England, it is that the UK's departure from the European Union is a fundamentally 'un-Christian' pursuit. The…
Brexit postponed (again): tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope
It is tempting to move to the rivers of Babylon, sit down and weep. Boris Johnson said he would rather "be dead in a ditch" than request another extension to…
The Legislature has become the Executive, and there is no mechanism to call them to account
Now that the Yellowhammer document has been placed in the public domain, one understands why there might reasonably have been a reluctance to do so by any responsible government at…
Brexit: open letter reveals Bishops split 60:40 on Government’s approach
The open letter on Brexit published yesterday by a group of Diocesan Bishops is interesting on a number of levels, not least of which is the fact that it is…
Brexit Citizens’ Assembly – Welby plays a blinder (all shall be well)
When the Times revealed on Monday that the Archbishop of Canterbury was "in talks" to chair a 'Citizens' Assembly' in order to avert a 'no deal' Brexit (that is, a…
Sovereignty: why is it good for Kashmir and Hong Kong, but bad for the UK?
News from Hong Kong and Kashmir has continued to dominate the news, and then the Labour Shadow Chancellor and Deputy Leader John McDonnell sowed a degree of discontent in the…
Brexit Derangement Syndrome: the contagion reaches the Bishops
Every profession seems to have been infected, and within each there is notable carrier who is especially unwell. Brexit Derangement Syndrome is spreading like the Plague of Justinian, and there…
Farage — the Luther of the Democratic Reformation
Nigel Farage has led his Brexit Party to victory in the Euro Elections, and will send 28 MEPs to the European Parliament. While Labour (10 MEPs) and the Conservatives (3…
A ‘climate emergency’ demands a Green manifesto more useful that Joanna Southcott’s box
Former US President George W Bush revealed in his book Decision Points that he often broke the conversational ice with visiting heads of state by asking the question: 'What keeps…
Bishop says Brexit Euro candidates are ‘Traitors to the EU’
The Rt Rev'd Dr Graham Kings is Hon Assistant Bishop & World Mission Adviser in the Diocese of Southwark. He is a Senior Member of St Chad's College, Durham, and…
Royal Assent: Crown neutrality on Brexit is unsustainable
The last time Royal Assent was withheld from a parliamentary bill was in the wake of the union of England and Scotland in 1707/8, when Queen Anne declined to support…
Bercow: all Brexit options must lead to the Treaty of Rome
Following last week's 'indicative votes' to determine what sort of Brexit Parliament is for (as opposed to what it is against), yesterday's 'indicative votes – the sequel' yielded four more…
Welby to MPs: ‘Respect the vote of the people and unite our country’
By their 'indicative votes' ye shall know them. Last night MPs tried to determine what, if anything, they preferred to Theresa May's 'deal', and they said 'no' to everything. Motion…
Bemused by Brexit? Come to church for tea and prayer – unless your vicar is a Remainer
At this moment of national crisis and international humiliation (which it is), the Church of England is encouraging people to come to church to be 'Together' for a cup of…
Pessimism, realism and confusion: Ecclesiastes shines a light on Brexit
Theresa May has said that a vote for her Withdrawal Agreement (aka 'deal') would be an act of patriotism. Writing in the Telegraph she exhorts all MPs, whether they voted…